Page Eight

6

THE B.C. LUMBER w@con

Margh 8, 1943

Continued

Sub-District Negotiations Successful

composed of three representatives
from the Mayo Mill and the Honey-
moon Bay Mill, together with mill
Manager Haskill, Arrangements
were made to meet during next
week with the company assuring
the Negotiations Committee they
desired to meet the prevailing wage
rates.

Satisfaction was expressed by
members of the Sub-District Nego-
tiations Committee over results of
the initial meeting with both man-
agements. “The discussions with
both companies were most harmon-
ious,” said Nigel Morgan, IWA-
CIO International Executive Board
Member, who was elected a mem-
ber of the employees’ committee,
“and one which can lay the basis
for a real understanding when
embodied in a written agreement.”
This will do much to give the em-
Ployees a greater feeling of se-
curity, which will help eliminate
the transient nature of the lumber
industry, stabilize labor relations,
and thereby increase © urgently-
needed lumber production to de-
stroy Hitlerism. The two thousand
employees of these eleven opera-
tions are anxious to reach an agree-
ment at the earliest possible time
so they can devote their full ener-
gies to production.

General agreement was reached
on most points in the proposed
contract, except over the question
of recognition of IWA-CIO Local
1-80; bot managements stating
quite frankly they would not enter

into an agreement with the union
unless the labor laws of British
Columbia were changed. Spokes-
men for the employees pointed out
amendment of the Industrial Con-
ciliation and Arbitration Act has
been introduced in the B.C. Legis-
lature to compel collective bar-
gaining through the organization
of the workers’ own choice, where
they are members of a trade union;
to which the management counter-
ed, the government's proposals
might well be amended before final
adoption.

Sincerely desiring to reach an
understanding without the creation
of any ill-feeling or antagonism, it
was suggested by the employees’
representatives that the matter of
just who the agreement should be
made with, be left over until the
government's proposed changes
(which would give the IWA-CIO
bargaining rights) have been dealt
with. This suggestion was accepted
by the company, and discussion on
the remaining articles of the pro-
posed agreement then proceeded
clause by clause.

Another point left over for fur-
ther consideration was the ques-
tion of annual yacations with pay,
and overtime pay, which, accord-
ing to law, have to be approved by
the Regional War Labor Board. The
management took the position that
they could not agree to these pro-
visions, unless they were in general
effect in the industry, or were

Proy. Cabinet to Consider
Franchise for East Indians

VICTORIA.—A delegation

of nine Hindus waited on the

cabinet last Tuesday asking for “British justice and enjoyment
of democratic rights for the East Indian community of British

Columbia.”

Two special privileges sought are the right to vote and the
lifting of the ban on East Indian soldiers visiting certain clubs

and cafes in Vancouver.

The delegation went into confer-
ence with the cabinet at 10:30, ac-
companied by Sir Robert Holland,
former British diplomat in Indi
Harold E. Winch, leader of the
CCF opposition, and Harold Prit-
ehett, president of the International
Woodworkers’ Association.

Nagindar Dingh Gill, secretary
of the Khalsa Diwa Society, told
the cabinet that in recent years
East Indian young people, in par-

ticular, have felt that they are!

living under a definite moral handi-
cap. fe

“We have tried conscientiously
to fulfill the duties and respon-
sibilities of citizenship, but we
have been denied the democratic
rights of that citizenship,” he
said. “We contend that the deniat
of these rights is without justifi-
cation in logic or reason.”

In every other province of Can-
ada except B.C, Mr. Gill said,
Sikhs and other East Indians are
allowed to exercise the franchise,
“In Great Britain there are no
bars against us, Only here in Bri-
Ush Columbia is the principle of
British justice negated, and the
denial of the right to vote in the
provincial field automatically den-
jes us the Dominion franchise.”

Mr, Gill declared East Indians

are prepared to fight for the prin-
‘ciple privileges and liberties of
democracy in which they believe.
| “How, when we are denied the
things for which the British Com-
(monwealth stands, can we answer
the questions of our children, who
are taught in British Columbia
‘schools the greatness of British
democracy?” he asked.

Narajan Singh, president of the
society; Harnam Singh, president
of the Victoria branch, Khalsa
Diwan Society, and H. S. Garcha,
B.Sc, ,also addressed the cabinet.

At the present time, they said,
East Indians in uniform are re-
fused admission to certain clubs
and cafes In Vancouver and Vic-
toria,

Other members of the ‘delega-
tion were Darshan Singh Sangha,
Phangan Singh and G. S. Badal,
Didar Singh, Arjan Singh and
Mohinder Singh and Bahoo Singh,
a yeteran of the last war.

COMFORT and
SERVICE
At Moderate Prices

ordered by the Regional War Labor
Board.

After a lengthy discussion, em-
ployees’ spokesmen agreed to pre-
sent a brief to the Regional War
Labor Board in support of these
demands of the employees and to
abide by that decision. Company
representatives agreed likewise.

After a three-hour session with
the Victoria Lumber Manufactur-
ing Company, and an hour and a
half with the Lake Logging Com-
pany, negotiations were adjourned
until after the ICA Act amend-
ments have been completed, when
another meeting will be arranged
at a mutually convenient date. This
meeting will discuss the remaining
points, and it is hoped, consumate
an agreement of mutual benefit
to employer and employees alike.
No further attempt will be made
by employees’ representatives to
negotiate with the amendment of
the two camps and Youbou saw-
mill of Industrial Timber Mills
Limited until after amendment of
the Act.

Continued

Board Meet

Regional War Labor Board on this
question at the earliest possible
time. In view of the necessitating
of working overtime for maximum
production for an all-out war ef-
fort, the board felt that employers
should be asked to make equal sac-
rifices in the way of premium pay
for overtime. It was pointed out
that the lumbering industry is the
only major industry in B.C. which
does not pay premium overtime
pay.

On the question of the rationing
of beer, it was the opinion of the
board that whereas the production
of this beverage did not in any
way interfere with the production
of war materials and that the ab-
sence of it was causing dissention
on the part of many workers, the
board instructed the secretary to
communicate with the rationing
authorities with a view to getting
the restrictions lifted.

The executive board endorsed the
drive for the Red Cross funds and
voted to donate $25 to that organi-
zation. They voted further to do-
nate $10 to the Polish Relief and
Defense Committee. The next
meeting of the board will be held
in District Headquarters on Wed-
nesday, March 17, at 10 a.m.

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Seeeaeeeesy

of this area. The company has

at Port Alberni.
At a meeting of Shop Stewards;

from the Port Alberni APL in|
and Sub-Local Executive Board

Continued

Bullcook

we dropped the anchor.” He said,
“I know we'd lose it; it’s been
hanging out ever since we left New
York.” Well, we landed and were
immediately sent to trenches. After
three nights there the cannons
began to roar, and the shells start-
ed to pop. I was shaking with
patriotism. I tried to hide behind
a tree but there weren't enough
trees for the officers. The captain
came around and I said, “I'd like
to have a furlough.” He said,
“Haven't you any red blood in
you?” I said, “Yes, but I don't
want to see it.” Five o'clock we
went over the top and 10,000 Japs
coming at us. The way they looked
at me you'd think I had started
the war. Our captain yelled, “Fire

at will.” But I didn't know any-|
body by the name of Will. I guess
the fellow behind me thought I was,
Will because he fired the gun and

Local 1-85 Reports Good
Progress; Membership Up

Organizational progress in the Port Alberni area is pro-
gressing very rapidly, according to recent reports from that
district. At a meeting of the majority of the workers in the
Bloedel, Stewart and Welch Mill on Feb. 7, a Negotiating
Committee was elected to negotiate with the management with
the view to signing a union contract and it is generally felt
that this move is a clear mandate for 100 percent organization

agreed to meet with the em-

ployees’ representatives on Friday, March 5, in their office

members on Feb. 28, plans were
made for 100 percent organization
of this mill. It is reported that
since the organization was estab-
lished in this mill and collective
bargaining relations brought about
with the management, that the
company. has cooperated in every
way with the functioning commit-
tees, The Joint Management-Labor
Production for Victory Committee
is functioning with beneficial re-
sults to both labor and manage-
ment and has contributed greatly
towards improving the productive
efficiency of the plant.

The Plywood Workers’ Sub-Local
of Local 1-85, meeting the same
evening, made similar arrange-
ments for the organization of their
plant. It is generally felt among
the local 85 membership that now
is the time to’establsih trade union
organization, APL Camp 1 led the
way for organizing this area and
Local 85 is now well on its way to
having this entire area within the
ranks of the International Wood-

shot me in the excitement.

workers of America.

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